


When I Follow you it Feels like Home

by makeitanotherday



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Bisexual Sokka (Avatar), F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Homophobic Language, Hurt/Comfort, I promise there’s a happy ending, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, M/M, Multi, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole, Period-Typical Homophobia, Protective Sokka (Avatar), Protective Zuko (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar) Needs a Hug, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, zukka - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 09:48:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29790108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/makeitanotherday/pseuds/makeitanotherday
Summary: “You can’t seriously believe I can just forget that you’re a prince, from the Fire Nation,” Sokka hissed, recoiling himself at the venom he heard in his own voice. Shit. He didn’t mean it to come out as harshly as it had and he could already see Zuko putting up a wall when he focused on him again.Zuko’s breath hitched and suddenly he could barely think. The same feeling of drowning taking over him. Of course Sokka would care. He opened his mouth to talk, but the words were beyond him. He took a shaky breath before trying again, his eyes already turning red from the tears that he was refusing to let spill, “You’re right. You’re absolutely right,” and just like that, another world that Zuko had built for himself had collapsed.orZuko’s created a life for himself in Ba Sing Se after his banishment after a lot of convincing from Iroh. He gives up on the Avatar hunt until one night when he hears rumors that the Avatar has returned, and he gets a knock on the door from four people asking for food. And spirits is the tan hungry one in front catching his eye. Will he be able to keep Ozai’s orders in his past, or will he change back for the worst when he realizes the Avatar is alive?
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 56





	1. Chapter 1

Zuko’s days of searching for the Avatar were long behind him. His days of seeking his fathers approval? Well, that proved to be harder to set aside, but he was managing. After being banished he had set off in search of the Avatar, and it took the poor boy’s uncle months, probably a year, to convince him to stop.

His uncle had insisted the Avatar was long gone, insisted that his father wasn’t worth the danger he was putting himself in, that his father was the one with no honor. Zuko disagreed. The Avatar  had to come back. Cycles don’t break like that. His father had banished him to teach him a lesson. His father loved him. His father would only do what was best for him. 

_ You will learn respect. And suffering will be your teacher. _

The words had echoed in his mind for the last year. Every night he would wake up in a cold sweat, tears threatening to spill. He had never let them. No, he had been a coward once before and he wouldn’t let that happen again.

And yet, here he was, helping his uncle take orders in a tea shop.  Being a coward . Nonetheless, after many arguments and many poems from his uncle, he had settled into his life here in Ba Sing Se. He had come to terms with his past and the fact that his father was a cruel man. A cruel man that Zuko would’ve sooner given his life for than have to disappoint. But a cruel man.

Zuko drummed his fingers along the countertop, it had been a slow day at the Jasmine Dragon and he was counting down the seconds until he could leave.

“I’d like a Jasmine tea please,” he heard someone speak and looked up, his attention quickly brought back to the job. 

“Yes, of course, that’ll be out in a moment.”

He peeked around the corner to give Iroh the order, knowing that his uncle made a far better cup of tea than he did anyway and therefore he generally stuck to taking orders when he could, not making them. He had gotten significantly better at brewing a cup of tea though, but only so that he could occasionally give his uncle a day off. He knew how hard he worked and he wanted to help out as much as he could, it was the least he could do. The rest of the work day consisted of a few more customers, Iroh making them tea, Zuko bringing it out to them. In reality his life here was... mundane, at best. And yet, it was the most content Zuko had ever felt.

“Do you need anything else? I can stay and help clean up?” He asked Iroh, who shot him a knowing look.

“No, nephew. Go home. Please, I can handle the rest. You should get some rest.”

Zuko nodded as he started to pack up his stuff, not in the mood to argue; his uncle always won anyway. He waved and smiled at Iroh as he pushed past the front door, sighing softly. This was his new life, and he enjoyed it. As much as he thought he needed to anyway.

Within a few minutes, he was boarding a train of the monorail, choosing an empty row in front of an older woman and her son. Most of the trip was uneventful, he had rested his head against the window, half dozing off, half listening to the conversations of the people around him, which were not all that interesting. Mainly the young boy behind him had been asking his mother question after question. Most of the questions were harmless, until something caught Zuko’s attention.

“Mom, is it true the Avatar is in Ba Sing Se?”

“I’m not sure. That’s what people are saying, so maybe,” his mom replied. 

Zuko’s breathing sped up, his fingers curling almost painfully to make a fist. The Avatar? In Ba Sing Se? Zuko had given up all hope of finding the Avatar for his father. He had come to terms with that, and yet, here he was, his mind running a million miles a minute with plots on how to catch him. How to even find him. How to make his father proud. How to restore his honor.

“Mom... is that man okay?” Zuko heard the boy whisper to his mom from behind him, suddenly bringing him back to reality.

He had been trembling slightly, his hand tapping against the side of the train and his nails digging further into his skin. He took a deep breath, bringing his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose slightly and shutting his eyes tight. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts before he heard the announcement. Thank god, his stop was here.

He raced off of the train and started running towards his apartment, getting there in pretty record time for him and slamming the door shut behind him.

“FUCK,” he yelled, turning and banging against the front door with the heel of his hand, “fuck..”

Just like that, Zukos entire world had collapsed. The world he had spent the better part of the last year creating, and the world that he felt safe in.


	2. I Don’t Feel a Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys.  
> This is my first ever fic and I am having a ton of fun writing it! If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions I would love to hear them! Here’s some sad Zuko for you though, we’ll see some Sokka at the end! And more next chapter as well.

“You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?” Zuko spoke, harshly, his eyes glaring at Bujing.

Suddenly everyone’s eyes were on him and he shrunk back, gulping loudly when he realized what he had done. His eyes flickered between his uncle and his father and he knew. He would have to duel the general. Unfortunate for the general, he had thought.

As if within seconds Zuko was ready, his body turned to face the onlookers as he spun around.  No.  It wasn’t the general, but his father. As if someone had knocked him over, Zuko dropped to his knees, his head lowered in respect.

“Father, please! I meant you no disrespect. I just wanted what was best for the fire nation. Please,” Zuko’s confidence had faltered and he was now shaking, his voice breaking a bit.

There was no way he could win against his father, no way he could fight his father in the first place.

“You will fight for your honor,” Ozai’s voice had never scared Zuko more than it did in this moment.

“I am your loyal son,” He felt tears rising in eyes, “Please.”

“Rise and  fight , Prince Zuko.”

“I won’t fight you.”

Zuko could hear the snickers of the general and the cheers from his sister from behind him. Tears had started to fall now, but his father hadn’t stopped walking towards him.

“You will learn respect,” a choked sob escaped Zuko’s lips as Ozai spoke, “and suffering will be your teacher.”

Ozai raised his hand, and within seconds, all Zuko could see was red.

“NO!”

Zuko shot up, his breathing heavy as he tried his best to contain his tears. Crying had never solved his problems, if anything, it had made them much worse. Maybe if he hadn’t cried? Maybe the crying had set his father off, seeing his son cower and tremble. Agni, was he weak. Zuko lifted the back of his hand to swipe off the sweat that had beaded up on his forehead, blinking a few times to push the tears back in. He hadn’t cried since that night, he wasn’t starting now. He ran a hand a hand through his sweat soaked hair, groaning as he thought about how disgusting he felt in the moment.

He rarely got enough sleep anymore, his nights were overrun with flashbacks to his fathers words, a searing pain, fire. Zuko wasn’t exactly afraid of fire. No, he couldn’t be, he  is a firebender after all. Yet every night that he was forced to relive the worst day of his life, it became impossible to miss the small flinches if he so much as lit a candle. The jump back (embarrassingly, he may have let out a yelp once) when he turned on a stove to make a cup of tea. By morning, he would generally relax and he could put on a facade long enough. Hell, he had even fought Zhao (and won!) without panicking at the fire. He had gotten good at pushing the thoughts aside until he hit his bed.

Zuko sighed, pushing the covers aside and forcing himself out of bed. Uncle always said the best thing for nightmares is tea. To be fair, Uncle said tea was the best thing for.. Well, everything. He chuckled at the thought, starting up a kettle of water and— really?! He was out of tea. How does someone who works in a tea shop run out of tea? Fine, he would have to go back to the shop and fetch some. He could probably just wait there until they reopened in all honesty. It wasn’t like he was going to be able to go back to sleep any time soon anyway. He slipped on his usual outfit (a brown and green robe opposed to his usual red setup — they couldn’t afford to be found out) and headed to the shop, having to take a longer route as the monorail wasn’t running this late. Most things weren’t, really. He didn’t mind the extra walk though, it gave him a chance to get some fresh air. He rarely felt like he could keep his head above water, every night he was drowning more and more. Every night he was struggling to breathe. But, his late night walks were where he felt the most  okay . He hummed quietly, some song that Iroh would hum on the ship. He wouldn’t admit it yet, but he looked up to his uncle quite a bit. His uncle was a better man than he thought he could ever be. 

It wasn’t super long before he was at the shop, turning on all of the lights and heading to the back to make himself a cup of tea and start to set up for the morning.

“C’mon, there  has to be something open! I’m starving over here! Can you not see me wasting away?” Sokka whined at the group, earning an eye roll from all three of them.

“Shut up! We get it, you’re hungry. What else is new?” Toph snapped back at him, and she could practically see the boy pout, his arms crossing over his chest as he kept walking.

Aang and Katara held back their laughs as they watched Sokka sulk in the back, his eyes lighting up when they caught sight of lights in a shop. Hm, the Jasmine Dragon. Well, he supposed that would do. “Guys! Look!” He pointed towards the shop, turning his attention to Aang and giving him his best ‘puppy dog eyes’ “Can we please check it out? Maybe they’ll have some food.”

Aang shook his head teasingly but headed towards the shop anyway, much to Katara’s displeasure. She was more cautious about Aang being in public. She knew how many people wanted him, but the fire nation hadn’t yet touched Ba Sing Se and so they had figured they’d be relatively safe in the city. She begrudgingly followed Aang, Toph not far behind although she was much more indifferent to the stop. They had made it to the city way later than they expected and she didn’t think much could really harm her and her friends in Ba Sing Se. After all, she was pretty badass if she said so herself.

Sokka started knocking on the shops door, hoping someone would let them in. The lights were on, and he could see a kettle over a small fire. There was someone in there and they would have to let them in sooner or later. “Hello? Open up! We need some food! I’m withering away to nothing out here,” Sokka half yelled, half whined, garnering a few shushes from his friends.

Zuko had stepped aside for a moment as his water was heating up, trying to prep a few things before his uncle came back in. His eyes narrowed as he heard yelling and... knocking? Was that on his door? Panic flashed through his eyes as his breath caught slightly. He turned on his heels to go see who could possibly be at the door. Someone yelling about being hungry? Did they not know what time it was? Sheesh, you would think the people in this city could find some manners. He stepped up to the door, cracking it ever so slightly so that they weren’t able to pass yet.

“Who are you? Do you know what time it is? We’re closed. I don’t have anything for you,” It came off a bit harsher than intended, but in his defense, who goes to a tea shop and bangs on the door at this hour? Savages.

“Okay, see, I totally understand where you’re coming from,  but I wouldn’t be here unless I was super desperate. Cant you just let us in for some bread or something? You have to have  something ,” the tan boy in the front of the group, the one who so rudely knocked as Zuko had noted, pleaded with him. He clasped his hands together at his chest, making a begging gesture as he looked inside.

Zuko groaned, his eyes practically rolling into the back of his head as he pushed the door open all the way. He was pretty confident he could take two teenagers and two children on had they turned out to be tricking him. There were swords in the back and well, he could control fire. He stepped aside as the four ran into the shop, yelling thank yous to him. “All I can offer is some crackers and tea. I’m not cooking,” he mumbled, heading to the back to grab some crackers, bread, and more tea. His hand made an aborted gesture as he quickly pulled it back, remembering he couldn’t let anyone know he was from the fire nation. He probably would’ve been hung or something in this town. Fire nation was not welcomed. He lit a match and set the fire, placing another kettleon top of it and taking the one that he had been heating prior off. If the group of people noticed his wince at the sight of the fire, they didn’t say anything. He finished up his own cup of tea before gesturing to the crackers and bread “All for you guys.”


	3. Feel Alright

Sokka’s eyes had gone wide when he saw the food. Generally he would’ve preferred something a bit more substantial, but he was too hungry to care  what  was put in front of him. Within a second he was about to scarf down the whole thing, only stopping when Aang grabbed his arm, “Sokka! Be polite,” Aang turned to Zuko, “Thank you for letting us in, and thank you for the food.”

Zuko nodded at the younger boy, turning his attention to the older, “And what about you? Are you super thankful?”

Sokka’s face dropped and he slumped his shoulders, a glare meeting Zuko’s eyes. If only looks could kill. “Yes, yes, thank you. Now can I eat in peace?” Zuko let out a small chuckle, closer to him just blowing air out of his nose, but nodded nonetheless, gesturing towards the food. They all took a seat, Katara trying to help Toph into hers and getting her hands slapped away in response. Zuko took a seat across from them, his lips still pursed tightly and he wore a fairly guarded expression. He wasn’t a very warm and welcoming person, although he figured that letting them in would count as his kind act for the week, or the month. Uncle was always pushing him to do a kind thing once in awhile.  An act of kindness is worth much, but costs little.

“Do you own this shop? We just got into the city and we could really use some help finding our way around. Spirits, it’s like a maze! Are there any places to stay around here, or anyone to stay with? The Fire Nation hasn’t gotten here right? We just need a week or two, maybe less!” The older girl spoke, tilting her head slightly as if to emphasize that it was a question. Well, multiple questions. 

“My uncle owns the shop. I barely know my way around myself. People might be taking in refugees, I’m not. No, not exactly. The Fire Nation hasn’t conquered Ba Sing Se,” Zuko answered pretty matter of factly, leaning back into his seat, “You can stay here until morning I suppose, maybe my uncle can help you around, but in the meantime, why are you guys here?”

Sokka started immediately, “Well, you know, Katara over here found some guy in an i-“ suddenly Katara’s hand had found its way to Sokka’s mouth, clamping down as she shot him a look that even Zuko may have backed off from.

“The Fire Nation raided our village. We’re just seeking safety before we find somewhere else to go,” Katara said in Sokka’s place. Zuko’s eyes narrowed once again, it didn’t exactly seem like a lie, but he wasn’t entirely convinced. He didn’t care to know the whole truth as much as he probably should’ve, though, and he simply nodded.

The next few hours were actually... pleasant? Although in general Zuko wasn’t the most sweet person alive, it was hard for him not to soften a bit when he was sitting with four of the most welcoming people he had ever met. Or, two of the most welcoming, and two that were there for comedic relief. Zuko had learned all of their names by now and he found himself enjoying Toph and Sokka’s sarcastic remarks (when they  weren’t aimed towards him). Aang and Katara’s kindness was an unfamiliar but welcome feeling. Of course, he had uncle Iroh, but he was fairly sure that Iroh was the exception when it came to people being good. Aang almost reminded him of uncle, with ‘morals’ and whatnot. Zuko had found himself laughing more tonight than he had since he was a child. Probably since his mother left. He had pretty much forgotten about his nightmare, about the Avatar, about his father. And then Sokka opened his mouth, “So uh, what happened to your face?”

Katara and Aang’s mouth hung open. Toph, although she couldn’t actually see Zuko’s face, lifted her hand to smack the back of Sokka’s head, who yelped and rubbed it dramatically, “Sokka!”

Zuko had practically frozen in place, his entire body tensing up again and  fuck , he couldn’t even think of a good lie in the moment. His eyes dropped as he struggled to take a breath, “I- uh- I-,” he tried to get it out, get anything out, but he just couldn’t.

Sokka was still rubbing his head when he finally looked back up, guilt welling up inside of him as he saw how Zuko had backed off inside of himself. He reached out a hand to grab Zuko’s, frowning when he felt Zuko flinch away from him, “Hey, it’s okay, I didn’t mean to be rude. You don’t have to tell us,” he looked back up with a sad smile, trying for Zuko’s hand again and squeezing it gently when he didn’t pull back again. Zuko met his eyes, and for a second he felt like he could breathe again. He was happy for the break in tension when he heard a key turn in the lock, and the front door open. Sokka dropped Zuko’s hand quickly and they all spun around to see who had come in. 

“Uncle,” Zuko smiled, getting up to introduce all of them, “These are my... uh. Well, they showed up last night asking for help. They need a place to stay, I was thinking maybe one or two could stay with me, and the rest here?” Zuko didn’t even know why he suggested it. He had told them he wasn’t taking in refugees, and he had meant it. But he also didn’t want to see them out on the street, and there were at least 2 sofas that would pull out into beds in the shop. They had originally been sleeping in the shop until they made lives for themselves here, and so Zuko knew there was room.

Iroh looked at the four of them and, in typical Iroh fashion, he let a warm smile overtake his expression, “Ah, I see, and how long do your friends need to stay? I’ll pull out the beds as soon as the customers leave. In the meantime, why don’t you take them home to wash up. You  all  look terrible,” Zuko’s lips parted as he heard his uncle. Spirits, everything was so much easier around him than his father. He was fairly sure that had his own nephew let four strangers in to his tea shop and then suggested they sleep there, Zuko himself would have plenty more questions than Iroh had posed (mainly because he had posed none).

“Sir, I just wanted to let you know that we greatly appreciate you and your nephews hospitality. It’s very kind of you to welcome us into your business,” Katara spoke, bowing her head a bit. Aang nodded, chiming in with his own speech of appreciation. Sokka and Toph simply muttered a ‘thank you’ and left it at that.

“I always tell my nephew, an act of kindness is worth a lot, yet costs little. I’m glad to know he’s been taking my advice,” and Zuko laughed a bit at the phrase. He definitely had taken his uncle’s advice.

The trip back to Zuko’s apartment was quiet, he noticed that the others would try to shield Aang somewhat, not letting too many strangers see him in public. He noted that it was odd in his mind, but again, he didn’t ask many questions. He did silently hope he wasn’t housing anyone dangerous, although there weren’t many people more dangerous than his father. Maybe the Avatar, ‘but the Avatar is long gone’, he reminded himself. Zuko shook his head to clear it, he needed to stop thinking about the past. 

Zuko pushed open the door to his apartment, setting his jacket and shoes aside and letting everyone else in as they did the same, “Well make yourselves at home, the bathroom is the right door on your right. You can get cleaned up in there,” he pointed towards the hallway and sat himself down on his couch, pulling his legs up next to him and resting his head back slightly. He was exhausted. He must’ve fallen asleep at some point because his eyes shot open when he felt the couch sink next to him, looking over at a freshly showered Sokka. He cleared his throat before breaking the silence, “Uh- I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t mean to freak out on you,”

“No, no. I’m the one who should be sorry. I shouldn’t have asked that. I was just curious, but you don’t nee-“ Sokka was starting to ramble, he still felt horrible about what had happened.

“Sokka! Sokka, it’s okay! Really, I’m just not.. ready yet. To talk about it, i mean,”Zuko explained, reaching for Sokka’s hand like Sokka had done for him earlier. He squeezed gently and nodded, “It’s okay, really.”

As if on cue, the last person got out of the shower, and the other three headed into the living room, Zuko dropped Sokka’s hand quickly and looked up towards the rest of them, “Okay, so I have enough room for two people here. There’s a pull out in my bedroom, and obviously the one in the common area,” He gestured towards the couch they were sitting on, “And theres two pull outs at the Jasmine Dragon.”

“We really wouldn’t want to burden you, We can all share the two beds, it’s fin-” Aang started but was quickly cut off by Toph.

“Speak for yourself, Twinkle toes! I’m not sharing a bed with any of you.  You take up the entire bed, and Sokka sounds like a lion all night,” Toph explained after landing a light punch to Aang’s arm.

Zuko stifled a laugh, but nodded at Toph, “My uncles always telling me I need some company anyway. You guys are fine, honestly.”

They somehow figured out the beds, Aang had (a little too eagerly) yelled that he called staying with Katara, so it was decided that Sokka and Toph would be staying with Zuko and Aang and Katara would be taking the ten minute trek back to Iroh’s tea shop.

Zuko laughed out loud at the thought of him housing refugees. People who had been  hiding from the Fire Nation. Not that he blamed them, he supposed he was hiding from the Fire Nation too. But Agni, he had gone soft. If only his father could see him now. But he couldn’t. Ozai  couldn’t see him now, and thank the Spirits for that.

The rest of the day was fairly uneventful, Zuko had heated them all up some rice. Mainly because, well, he didn’t know how to make much of anything else. Household chores and cooking were not at the top of Ozai’s lessons. It had taken him a whole month to be able to make a simple cup of tea to Iroh’s standards (admittedly absurdly high standards, but still). They chatted, both sides seemingly careful not to reveal anything too personal. Zuko couldn’t really pry, though. What right did he have? Being that he was a banished prince from the fire nation, he figured anything they were hiding couldn’t be nearly as jarring. 

He had showered at some point, relieved to see the house was still intact and that the four of them hadn’t done anything weird in his absence. After awhile, Aang and Katara left to go meet Iroh before he closed the shop for good, and honestly, they were all exhausted. Toph had already started pulling out the sofa in the living room, telling Zuko all about how little she wanted to share a room with him, and telling Sokka about how little she cared if he also wanted the couch. Sokka had gathered up his belongings and lugged them to Zuko’s room, setting them next to the sofa before helping Zuko pull it out, “Thank you again, you didn’t have to let us stay,” He rubbed the back of his neck nervously, plopping himself down on the mattress and taking the blankets that were conveniently set to the side.

“Well, I guess you’ll just have to find some way to make it up to me,” Zuko joked, setting up the pillows for Sokka before climbing into his own bed and shutting off his bedside lamp.

Sokka let his head hit his pillow and Zuko swore he had never seen anyone fall asleep so fast. Zuko also caught himself staring, no, tracing Sokka’s face. He thought he looked quite beautif- Wait. What? He shook his head, groaning quietly and rolling over to face the wall. He would store that thought away for another day. He rested his cheek against his pillow, sighing softly and starting to count his breaths. He let his eyes fall shut, slowly being pulled out of consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this feels rushed! Again, this is my first fic and I genuinely have no idea what I’m doing, but I at least deserve like a B+ for effort lmaoo.  
> Let me know what you think! I’m starting Chapter 4 tonight so if you have any feedback I’ll try to incorporate it for next chapter! I have a general idea of where this is going, but I’m open to some ideas.


	4. No One Can Hurt You Now

Three days had passed and Sokka found himself drifting closer and closer to Zuko, they had agreed that Zuko would show him around Ba Sing Se (of course, Zuko had only just started to show himself around the city, so it wasn’t like he knew too much) and they had grown quite fond of spending the afternoons traveling the city and finding the best spots. They had eaten at a different restaurant every day, they had gone to every shop they had come across, although they wished they could forget the one where Sokka had tripped and knocked over an entire display of cabbages. They were banned from that one after yesterday. He had occasionally found his eyes lingering on Zuko for a touch longer than necessary. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t the only one who had found him doing this and thus, Katara, Aang,  and Toph had all been on his case for the past three days. Toph and Aang wanted him to go for it, but Katara was pretty insistent that he didn’t. She had reminded him that they weren’t staying in Ba Sing Se for long, and soon enough, he’d never see Zuko again. That just didn’t seem fair, though. 

-

As for Zuko, well, Zuko had actually been great. He was grateful for the distractions that Sokka brought. During the day he would go to the Jasmine Dragon with Toph and Sokka and help his uncle out. The other four would usually disappear for a few hours, Zuko never asked to where. He still figured that if they wanted to keep secrets, it was for good reason. After they woke up the first morning, Sokka had begged Zuko to show him around the city. Zuko agreed, if only to spend more time with Sokka. He felt safe for Zuko, which was  stupid because Zuko had only just met him. Zuko knew that was stupid, but he figured he would cross the bridge of Sokka being an assassin or something when they got to it. For now, he was enjoying himself. Every afternoon, right before the tea shop closed, the four of them would come back in and help close up, and then Sokka and Zuko would be on their way. Today wasn’t any exception and Zuko eyes were wide as Sokka practically dragged him through the city, stopping any time he saw anything even remotely interesting. He had even stopped for balloons. Balloons.  What a child, Zuko had thought with a smile.

Sokka finally started to slow down. But then he saw a lake and- “Canoe rentals!” And then Sokka was dragging a wide eyed Zuko behind him once again.

Zuko was laughing as he stumbled, not having time for his mind to catch up with his feet as Sokka suddenly pulled him. He caught himself quickly and then kept up with Sokka, shaking his head as they stopped closer to the lake, “Canoe rentals? Do you even know how to canoe?” He questioned, an amused smile still hanging off his lips.

Sokka gasped, bringing a hand up to his chest, “You doubt me? I’ll have you know, I am actually  amazing with a canoe,” and Zuko laughed again, reaching to pull crumpled money out of his pocket and hand it to the rental guy.

“Alright, well I can’t say this is one of my better skills, so go easy,” Zuko helped Sokka grab the canoe, walking it to the water. Sokka was admittedly having a little more trouble considering how much he had bought, but they made it there eventually, setting it into the water.

Sokka grabbed paddles for each of them, climbing into the canoe and then reaching out for Zuko’s hand once he was situated and he had set his bags down, “It’s gonna wobble a little, just hold onto me,” Sokka had a way of being one of the most reassuring people Zuko had ever met. He didn’t even think that he was nervous to get in, but as he grabbed Sokka’s hand, he suddenly realized how much  less nervous he was. 

“Come on, sit down and get comfy, we’re gonna be out here for awhile,” Sokka gestured for Zuko to sit down, tossing him his paddle, “Okay, so you’re just gonna move the paddle like this, back and forth,” Sokka started paddling on his own, nodding for Zuko to join in so that they could get to the middle of the lake fasted. It was going to get dark soon and Sokka wanted to be to the middle by then. It reminded him of home, a home that he missed. It reminded him of that spiritsforsaken afternoon, when he and Katara had been out fishing and had somehow ended up with a flying bison and a child who happened to be - well, i’m sure you know that story.

They made it to the middle after about ten minutes of paddling (ten long minutes, as Zuko had started to complain about his arms hurting after 5). Zuko could complain all he wanted, but at the end of the day, he couldn’t deny how easy everything had felt lately. They put their paddles inside of the canoe, both of them resituating to get more comfortable so they could look up at the sky. The sun had started to set, painting the sky pink and purple, but the two of them were having trouble looking at anything but each other. Zuko’s cheeks turned red as his eyes met Sokka’s, quickly turning his attention back to the sky, “It- uh- it’s beautiful,” he mumbled, clearing his throat and looking for something- anything, to say.

Sokka was laughing now, a hand running through his hair but getting caught at the hair tie, “Yeah, it is,” Sokka confirmed, his eyes still focused on the other boy. He hadn’t even looked at the sky yet.

It only took a few more minutes before Sokka and Zuko had settled into conversation, Sokka was telling Zuko stories from his childhood. He had revealed a few things this trip; He and Katara were from the Southern Water Tribe, his mother was killed by Fire Nation soldiers, and he  hated the Fire Nation. He had gone as far as to say he would wish them all dead, if he thought the Spirits would forgive him for it. Zuko had winced any time the Fire Nation was mentioned, hoping that Sokka would think nothing of it other than that he hated the Fire Nation as well. He also couldn’t deny the little ache in his chest when Sokka had talked about his hatred. It was to be expected, he couldn’t blame him for hating the Fire Nation. He couldn’t even blame him for hating him. But it stung nonetheless. 

Yet despite the morbid tone of the last two bullet points, most of his stories filled Zuko’s heart with a longing for something he didn’t even know he missed out on. Sokka talked about penguin sledding with his friends, staying up late with Katara, the time his dad taught him how to fish, his Gran Gran’s cooking. He noticed the way Sokka’s eyes lit up as he spoke, and every time Sokka would stop for fear of talking Zuko’s ear off, Zuko would nod and encourage him to continue. He could listen to Sokka talk about the things he enjoyed for hours.

“Okay, okay. Enough about me. What about you? Got any stories?” Sokka asked, and Zuko looked physically sick.

“Uh,” Zuko started, trying to think of literally any memory he could share, “Truthfully, I can’t even remember one. I guess my mom, she would read me stories every night, although that’s nowhere as cool as penguin sledding. I have a sister, although she hates me. I do have two friends back home that I miss, Ty Lee and Mai. I dated Mai for a bit, but I think she likes girls, and well. I don’t. So we ended up giving up on that,” Zuko rubbed the back of his neck nervously, racking his brain for literally anything cool he had done when he was younger. All he could think of was his failures, how horrible he had been at bending, to the point of his father investing so much time into his sword skills because he would never be able to fight with fire. How much better Azula was at everything. How nothing he did was ever good enough, he spent most of his time grounded or being trained by cruel instructors to be a perfect prince. Better yet, he could tell the story about his scar, that one was a real doozy. Although, it would give away his cover to say ‘hey, my dad is a firebender and  burned me for speaking out of turn in a war meeting’.

Sokka smiled sadly, reaching for Zuko’s hand, “Well hey, when this war is over, you can come back to the South pole and I’ll teach you  all  about penguin sledding,” he joked, mindlessly bringing Zuko’s hand up to his lips to kiss it gently. Sokka dropped Zuko’s hand quickly as he realized what he did, apologizing and scooting back a bit further into his side. Zuko’s face dropped slightly as he let his hand fall back to his side, but he leaned back, looking up at the stars that had officially taken their place in the sky.

It was a little while before Sokka finally said they should probably head back, he was sure the others had grown worried, or at least Toph who was probably waiting for them at Zuko’s house. The rest of the way back was pretty quiet, Zuko had retreated back into his head slightly after thinking about his past, and Sokka had run out of ways to tell stories that avoided mentioning Aang being the Avatar and Toph and Katara being benders. They snuck back into Zuko’s house as quietly as possible, which evidently wasn’t quiet enough as Toph looked up from where she had been sleeping, not that she could see anyway, “About time you two got home. Sheesh,” and then she was basically back asleep. Glad to know she was worried.

Zuko laughed and helped Sokka carry everything into his room before they got ready for bed. And for the first time in three days, Zuko was nervous to go to sleep. He laid in his bed, eyes wide open as he thought about his father. As he thought about Sokka’s mother, his own mother, his sister, the Fire Nation. He brought his hand up to touch the red and purple skin that circled around his left eye. He was damaged. He was his father’s biggest failure, and the scar was a reminder.  Why didn’t he just shut the fuck up? Even Sokka was going to hate him, at least once he knew the truth. Even Sokka was going to hate him.

Zuko wasn’t exactly sure when he fell asleep, but it wasn’t very long before he was waking up abruptly to the sound of his own screams. Sokka’s eyes had also shot open, scrambling to get out of the way of whatever danger he was in because they  had  to be in danger judging by how he had heard Zuko scream.

Sokka’s eyes refocused as he shook his head, squinting at the bed to see what exactly was happening. Zuko was frantic. He had stopped yelling, but his breathing looked so heavy that it must’ve hurt at this point. His right fist was clenched hard enough that Sokka thought he had to have drawn blood, his left hand was gripping onto the bed as if to keep himself from being dragged off of it, and Sokka could see the tears pooling in his eyes, threatening to spill.

Sokka carefully and slowly stood up, not wanting to make anything worse, “‘Ko? Zuko? Hey, can you hear me? I’m gonna come sit with you, okay?” When Zuko didn’t react, Sokka slowly sat down next to him, reaching for his right hand. He winced slightly when he saw Zuko flinch back, his eyes going even wider with panic as he let out a quiet whimper.

Sokka sighed sadly, “Hey, it’s okay, it’s just me, Sokka. ‘M not gonna hurt you, I promise,” He tried to speak as softly as possibly, scooting closer and reaching for Zuko’s hand again to uncurl his fingers, which had definitely broken some skin. Sokka pulled Zuko’s hand up, pressing his lips against it once again, “Are you with me again? Hey, look at me, it’s okay, you’re safe,” Sokka placed one finger under Zuko’s chin, bringing it up so their eyes would meet and repeating himself, “You’re safe.”

And Sokka really did mean it. As long as he was here, Zuko was safe. Spirits, he didn’t even know  what he needed to keep Zuko safe from, but he did know that it felt like someone was stabbing him in the chest to watch Zuko the way that he was right now, and he wouldn’t let that happen again. He shifted so he was leaning against the headboard, pulling himself fully onto the bed before reaching his arms out to cradle Zuko into his chest. He pressed small kisses on top of his head, humming quietly, an old song his mom used to sing whenever he was sad or got hurt. 

Zuko wanted to believe Sokka. He was safe. Funnily enough, this  was the most safe he had ever felt, resting his head against Sokka’s chest. He had gotten a handle on his breathing, and most of the fear had diminished from listening to Sokka. He was still disgusting, though, his body soaked in a cold sweat as he clung to Sokka, and suddenly, was back and he was mortified at what had just happened, “I- Holy fuck. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” He started to ramble apologies, scrambling to sit himself up and try to get his shit together, “I just- It was just a bad dream. A really bad dream, I’m sorry,”

Sokka’s eyes narrowed and he scowled at Zuko, although he softened up the second he saw Zuko look at him with concern, as if he had done anything wrong. “Zuko! Zuko, look at me, it’s okay. It’s not your fault,” He paused for a moment, “Do you want to talk about your dream?”

“It was just about how I got the scar,” Zuko mumbled, “My dad- he  really didn’t like me. He used to say he wished my mom would’ve let him,” Zuko didn’t finish that thought, instead he paused for a few moments, “It’s not important.”

Sokka opened his mouth, but decided against it. He shouldn’t push, Zuko would tell him if he wanted to. Instead, he just pulled the boy back to him again, his arms enveloping Zuko as he rested his chin on top of his head, “You don’t have to ever tell me what happened for me to know you didn’t deserve it,” Sokka whispered, rubbing small circles on Zukos back.

Zuko shut his eyes, leaning in to Sokka’s touch  and for the first time in a long time, a tear fell. And then another, and then suddenly Sokka’s shirt was soaking wet with Zuko’s tears. It was an odd feeling, crying for the first time since the night of his banishment. And he half expected Sokka to turn around and call him a coward, but all Sokka did was hold him closer. Zuko stopped, eventually, apologizing again through a tearful laugh as he gestured to Sokka’s shirt. But Sokka wasn’t mad, and when Zuko asked Sokka to stay, he did. And when Zuko finally fell back asleep, his head rested on an already half asleep Sokka’s chest, the only thing that occupied his dreams was Sokka. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked this chapter! Also, lets just pretend Toph didn’t hear Zuko’s scream hahaha. It’s been so fun to write again! Hopefully I’m starting to get back into the swing of it to write a little more cohesively.  
> What do you guys think is going to happen next?


	5. Could It Be I’m Falling in Love

Sokka woke up with Zuko curled up next to him, practically on top of him at this point, honestly. Not that he minded, at all, and after a few seconds he was actually wrapping an arm tighter around Zuko, “Good morning,” he whispered when he saw Zuko stirring slightly. He laughed a bit when Zuko let out a small groan, shifting to get even  closer to Sokka, as if that was even possible. “I see someone isn’t a morning person.”

Zuko finally started to open his eyes, sighing when he realized he did have to get up, he had to go help uncle, and besides, even if Toph couldn’t see, he just knew she would know somehow that they had stayed in the same bed. Zuko groaned once more as he sat upright, “Its just so nice and warm, who would  want to get out of bed?” He protested, pouting slightly and crossing his arms. 

Sokka laughed again, nodding in agreement as he sat up, “You’re definitely right. And uh, about last night, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to, but i’m always here to listen if you need.” 

Zuko’s body went rigid for a moment, and then he relaxed. Sokka wasn’t pushing, Sokka was just there for him. And fuck, did it hurt, because Zuko knew it would be over soon enough. The four of them had already been discussing moving on, and even if they weren’t, Zuko couldn’t keep up with the charade forever. It was only so long before they found out he was Prince Zuko, of the Fire Nation.  And Sokka hated the Fire Nation. Sokka hated him , “My dad did it,” Zuko blurted out, cringing slightly at his own words, “I spoke in a meeting when I wasn’t supposed to,” And suddenly Zuko was laughing, because Agni, was this not the dumbest reason to have half of your face melted off, “Like I said last night, he isn’t my biggest fan. Az- My sister, was always his favorite.”

Sokka had tried not to let his mouth hang open as he heard Zuko speak. His own father? Shit, Hakoda might not have been getting father of the year, but this was next level. And for speaking during a meeting? Holy fuck. It was Sokka’s turn to go stiff, “I’ll fucking kill him,” he mumbled, but softened when he remembered how scared Zuko had been last night. He just wanted to protect Zuko. He just wanted to make Zuko feel better. He sighed as he reached for Zukos hands, taking one in both of his, “You do know that that wasn’t your fault, right?”

Zuko laughed again but this time it sounded more like a cough, “That’s what everyone keeps saying, or at least uncle. But everyone was there. I was a child, and everyone came to watch- or rather, everyone came to cheer him on,” He shook his head, and then his whole body, “I’m sorry to dump all of this on you. It’s not your job to deal with,” he mumbled, taking his lower lip in between his teeth nervously. He didn’t even know why he was telling Sokka all of this. 

Sokka’s stomach churned at the thought of people showing up purposely to watch a father abuse his child. And when he thought of that child being Zuko.  His Zuko, he couldn’t help but feel sick, “Fuck Zuko. You don’t need to be sorry, ever. You were a child, everyone failed you, it is not your fault,” And he pulled him into another hug, his arms tightening slightly because he didn’t want to let go. Spirits, he had it bad for Zuko.

Zuko was sure Sokka’s opinion would change if he knew the truth, but for now he wasn’t too worried. He wrapped his arms around Sokka, resting his head on his chest for a few moments before pulling away to meet his eyes. Without thinking, he pressed his lips to Sokka’s, jumping backwards when he didn’t feel Sokka react. Fuck. “I- Fuck, I shouldn’t have done that, I’m sorry,” And by the time Sokka had processed enough to reach for Zuko, Zuko had already run out of the room.

The walk to the Jasmine Dragon was quiet, Even though Toph couldn’t  see the sad looks on both of their faces, she could feel something was wrong, “What did you do to Zuko?” She turned to Sokka, automatically assuming the absolute worst. Next to Sokka, she had been getting closest with Zuko. Aang and Katara’s only interactions with him were at the tea shop, since they weren’t there during the morning, and Sokka generally hogged Zuko for himself in the afternoons. Zuko’s eyes grew wide as he heard Toph speak to Sokka and his cheeks grew red. He silently prayed to the Spirits that Sokka wouldn’t tell Toph what had really happened.

Sokka scoffed and started to pout, pushing Toph’s shoulder lightly, “Hey! I didn’t do anything. Why do you always assume the worst?” He whined the last bit, huffing as he slumped back into his seat. Toph dropped it, if only because she had felt the way Zuko had froze when she asked Sokka, and didn’t want to press it in front of him. They eventually got to tea shop and separated, Zuko immediately went to get to work, helping Iroh get orders out. Toph and Sokka helped Aang and Katara fold up the sofas and grab their stuff before they set off out of the shop.

Every day, the four of them would go to the outskirts of the city, where Appa, Aang’s flying bison was. They had set up a small camp for Appa, and would bring him back food and spend time with him for a few hours before they had to go back. The second they were at the camp, Toph turned and landed a punch on Sokka’s arm, “ What did you do to Zuko?”

Katara and Aang spun around, eyes widening as they heard Toph hit Sokka, but they both quickly asked what he did to Zuko, and why Toph was hitting him. Sokka had no real way out. They were all staring at him now, even Appa (who Sokka thought should mind his own business). He rubbed the back of his neck anxiously before sighing, “I didn’t do anything. I guess that’s the issue, he kissed me earlier, and I just froze. Before I even knew what was happening he had bolted, I didn’t even know he liked me,” he groaned softly before continuing, “But now he hasn’t spoken to me since.”

Toph’s shoulders relaxed slightly. At least Sokka hadn’t done anything horrible, as long as you didn’t count possibly breaking Zuko’s heart, “Do you like him?” She asked, her tone a lot nicer than any of them were used to.

“I really like him. I don’t know what to do.”

Aang had a wide grin on his face as he ran to hug Sokka, “Sokka, this is great! You guys like each other! You have to tell him!” Aang was always so enthusiastic, Sokka couldn’t help but smile at how cheerful Aang was about the situation. If only it was that easy, or maybe it was and Sokka was just overthinking.

Sokka relaxed into the hug, giving Aang a small squeeze before peeling the smaller boy off of him. But then Katara spoke, “I don’t know, Sokka, we’re leaving tomorrow, I wouldn’t want to see either of you get hurt,”

“What?! Tomorrow? What do you mean? Why didn’t anyone tell me?” Sokka was suddenly frantic because  how the fuck could he leave Zuko tomorrow? Katara’s face fell as she looked down, she hadn’t meant it to be a secret, but they rarely saw Sokka with how much time he was spending with Zuko.

“I think Twinkle Toes over there is right, if you really like him you should tell him. You know Zuko even better than I do, and even I know he’s probably at the shop making himself miserable about you hating him,” and Toph was definitely right. Sokka knew that Zuko was most definitely doing just that. 

They dropped it after that, letting Sokka come to a conclusion about what to do on his own. They had all given their thoughts and they knew that was enough, Sokka would consider everything they had each said. Aang spoke about his plans, how he needed to find a firebender soon, or else he wouldn’t be able to stop Firelord Ozai. Toph had agreed, telling him how shit his earthbending was (with peace and love, of course). Katara was half listening, half looking at Sokka. Sokka who looked like he couldn’t even hear them, honestly. He was so lost in thought, presumably thoughts about Zuko, that she wasn’t sure he even knew they were there anymore. She reached out to snap in front of his face “Sokka? Sokka. Just go. We can fill you in later. Go talk to him,” Katara nodded towards him in reassurance once he had snapped out of his daze, and Sokka was grateful. He wanted nothing more than to go talk to Zuko.

Zuko had been taking orders all morning, he had messed up a few, though and he could tell Iroh was starting to keep a closer eye on him, that was, until Sokka walked through the front door and his uncle saw Zuko practically retreat back into himself. “Zuko? Go take the rest of the day off. It’s okay, I can handle the rest of the orders.”

Zuko was chewing on his lower lip as he nodded gratefully, stepping out from behind the counter and trying to get past Sokka quickly. Sokka took a quick step to reach for Zuko’s wrist, “Zuko. Fuck. Wait,” he tugged Zuko back towards him, “Can we go talk? Please?”

Zuko sighed, nodding and pulling his hand away to gesture for Sokka to follow him. He led him to the closest park, knowing there was usually no one there at that time. Zuko sat at one of the benches, turning his body halfway so that he could face Sokka, “listen, about this morning-“

Sokka sat down and shook his head when he heard Zuko start to ramble, knowing that all that was about to come out was a slew of apologies that weren’t at all necessary, “Stop. Stop, I just wasn’t expecting it. There’s no need to apologize. I like you, like a lot,” Sokka got quieter towards the end, looking down at his lap and playing with his fingers. It was the most nervous Zuko had ever seen him look, “I know it’s not the best timing or anything, but-“

“I like you, like a lot, too,” Zuko cut him off, a stupid grin on his face. He couldn’t shake a weird feeling though, like there were eyes on them. He turned his head for a moment to look around, but saw no one, and decided to try his luck with another kiss.

And this time, Sokka was ready, and this time Sokka kissed back. It was short, but sweet, and when they both pulled away neither of them could hide their smiles.

Sokka suddenly blurted out, “We’re leaving tomorrow. Would you come with us?” And suddenly Sokka was ridiculously nervous again. Zuko froze for a moment, probably only a few seconds, but for the two of them it felt like hours.

“Yes. I will.” 

And Sokka’s smile was back, and everything was okay.  Zuko was coming . Zuko was coming! And Zuko’s stomach fluttered as he thought about what Sokka had just asked. He was leaving with Sokka tomorrow, someone he had only met less than a week ago, and yet he was also someone that Zuko felt like he had known for years. Zuko was the happiest he had been, possibly ever, happy enough to ignore the gnawing persistent feeling of being watched. Happy enough to ignore the feeling of dread that he had grown so accustomed to, the feeling of being unsafe. And he would curse himself for it later, because maybe if only he had paid attention, he would’ve known what was coming next. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m not really digging this chapter, but I wanted to get it out to you guys! Next chapter will probably not have much Zukka so here is your fix before then (‘:


	6. Pull Me Tight and Close Your Eyes

Word had spread quickly throughout the nations. The Avatar had returned. And as much as Aang and his friends wished it hadn’t, rumors had started circulating throughout the fire nation. Ozai, at first, had dismissed these rumors. Surely, the Avatar was dead. All airbenders were. The cycle was broken. And yet, there were sightings of a flying bison all over, people saying they  spoke with the Avatar . Reportedly, he had two people with him, suddenly it was three, and then somehow, they were gone. No one knew where they were for the last day, and now, Ozai had begun to pay attention. A little bit, at least. If his sources were correct, the Avatar was a child, no older than 14. Probably even younger than that. Ozai could handle a measly child. The only place the fire nation hadn’t yet touched was Ba Sing Se, and Ozai had a good feeling that was where the Avatar had put up shop. And so, he had set up a meeting with Commander Zhao to discuss him going into Ba Sing Se, and bringing back the Avatar. Whether he was dead or alive wasnt any of Ozai’s concern.

Zhao had jumped at the opportunity, partly because he so desperately wanted Ozai’s praise. Everyone did. But partly because he would be doing what Zuko never could, and that amused him. Zuko would never be welcome back, and he would never get his honor. And so, Zhao had set out to Ba Sing Se, dressed in neutral tones instead of his usual red. He had changed his entire look so that he could pass easily into the city without anyone but fire nation officials recognizing him. And boy, did he  hate it. These people didn’t fear him in the way his nation did, and that made him, quite frankly, almost sick. Soon enough, they would know the truth and he could go back home. And at that point, it would be worth it. Everyone would know his name.

But what he  hadn’t  expected, was to find a little boy with a blue arrow on his head, speaking to General Iroh, in a shop that seemed as if it belonged to him. He hadn’t expected to find the banished prince, Zuko, being friendly with the Avatar and his friends. The banished prince to be so careless that the Avatar was right under his nose, and he had no idea. The irony of it all,  Zuko had found the Avatar . Zhao had stayed back, though. He needed to find the perfect opportunity, he needed information. So far, he knew one of the Avatar’s friends was a water bender. One was an earth bender. One was a nonbender, and then of course, there was Zuko. However, Zuko didnt seem to spend much time with the airbender, he didn’t even seem to realize he  was an airbender, instead he was preoccupied with the nonbender. Pathetic, he would have to die too, if purely out of spite for Zuko. Or maybe Zuko himself would have to die, Zhao didn’t think the fire lord would mind much, especially not if he knew what Zuko had been doing during his banishment. The only thing the fire lord would resent, is that he wasn’t able to kill him himself.

And now, Zhao was stood behind a tree, perfectly hidden as he watched Zuko and the nonbender, he could just barely make out what they were saying, but he had a fairly good idea when he saw them... kiss?! Zhao almost had to hold back a laugh because wow, add it to the list of disappointments Zuko could bring to the fire nation, going to bed with a male, a peasant male on top of that. The fire lord most definitely wouldn’t care if he was dead. All he did was bring shame to the fire nation. A smirk found an almost permanent residence on Zhaos face, they were all children. Zhao could take on children. This would be easy, he just needed to make a plan.

-

Zuko had convinced them to stay a day longer, they would leave in two days. He needed time to say goodbye to Iroh, and he wanted to spend a day with Sokka- his basically boyfriend although they would have to make that official- before they left. He wasn’t even really sure where they were going, but as long as he stayed with Sokka he was fairly sure nothing could hurt him. And why? He didn’t even know if Sokka had ever held a sword. Sokka didn’t even know he was a firebender. Oh god, Sokka didn’t even know he was a firebender. And there’s that feeling of dread again. He would deal with it as it came. For now, all he wanted to do was spend time with Sokka. He felt tears prick the corner of his eyes once again. Spirits sake, he was such a baby. He sniffled slightly and wiped his eyes, trying to forget any thoughts of what Sokka might do when he finds out.

The sniffles stopped when he felt the bed dip and suddenly there were two arms wrapped around him, filling him with a warmth he had gotten a little too accustomed to. He turned his head and as he did, his eyes met a pair of bright blue ones. Sokka pressed his lips to Zuko’s forehead, and Zuko hadn’t even realized he was having issues breathing until they all went away with all of his worries. They all went away with Sokka. Zuko turned around with a smile, reaching to grab Sokka’s hand and tangle their fingers. “Good morning,” he whispered, pressing a quick kiss to Sokka’s lips.

“Good morning,” Sokka smiled back at Zuko, thankfully not mentioning the sniffling coming from the bed. Sokka could feel the worry wash away when he had held him, and that was enough. He didn’t need to open up the wound again. At least not know.

“Okay, so I think we should skip the Jasmine Dragon today and go out. Since it’s our last day in the city, and you know I really think we should finish checking everything out and maybe we can- or if you’d rather- or honestly we can do anything. Whatever you-“ Sokka laughed at Zuko’s rambling, pressing a finger to Zuko’s lips and shaking his head.

“Are you asking me out on a date?” Sokka asked, trying his best not to laugh. 

“I- Maybe,” Zuko blushed, looking away for a minute as he waited for Sokka’s answer.

“Yes, I would love to go on a date with you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh i’m so sorry for this chapter. i know i know.


End file.
